Salah inspires Liverpool to West Ham win

Mohamed Salah scored twice as Liverpool won comfortably at West Ham to increase the pressure on Hammers boss Slaven Bilic.

Salah put his side ahead in the first half, firing beyond keeper Joe Hart after the Hammers were caught out by a quick counter-attack.

The Reds doubled their lead soon after when Joel Matip slotted home from a corner.

Manuel Lanzini's deft finish briefly gave the hosts hope but Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's first Premier League goal for Liverpool restored their two-goal advantage before Salah's powerful finish sealed the win.

Liverpool's fifth Premier League win of the season keeps Jurgen Klopp's side sixth in the table, while West Ham are 17th and just one point above the relegation zone.

West Ham's points total of nine after 11 games matches their total over the same period in 2010-11 when they were relegated from the top flight.

An inconsistent start to the season had threatened to end Liverpool's title challenge before it had even started.

The Reds won just three of their opening nine games and a thumping 4-1 defeat at Tottenham on 22 October left them down in ninth, 12 points behind leaders Manchester City.

Liverpool's attacking play has been outstanding at times this season but during those early games they lacked the clinical touch in the final third to round it off.

However, successive 3-0 wins against Huddersfield in the Premier League and then Maribor in the Champions League in recent weeks suggested that had perhaps been found.

With Manchester City hosting Arsenal and Chelsea entertaining Manchester United on Sunday, the trip to West Ham offered Liverpool an excellent chance to gain ground on their title rivals before their games.

It was a chance Liverpool grasped with both hands.

Against a side who had set up to try to stifle Liverpool's attacking qualities, the visitors made the most of their few opportunities - something they failed to do earlier in the season - as two of their three shots on goal in the first half resulted in goals.

Mane, back in the side for the first time since the start of October after recovering from injury, highlighted why he is such an integral player for the Reds as his pace allowed Liverpool to break quickly from a West Ham corner.

The Senegal forward took the ball from the edge of his own area to the edge of the West Ham box before setting up Salah for a simple finish.

That was Salah's fifth goal in as many games for the Reds and the winger is proving to be worth every penny of the £34m Liverpool paid Roma for his services in the summer.

The Egypt international's second of the game, a neat drive across Joe Hart into the far corner, means he has now had a hand in 15 goals in all competitions this season (12 goals, three assists), more than any other Liverpool player.

The win marked the first time since August that Liverpool had recorded back-to-back wins and maintaining that sort of consistency will be crucial to their title hopes.